Dentist checkups and early treatment help you protect your teeth and keep them healthy. For instance, preventative care practices and regular checkups can let your dentist identify issues and address them before they develop into bigger more complicated problems.. Also, by being on top of your oral health and managing any periodontal disease with regular checkup and cleans you can reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease including heart attack and stroke risk. Plus help keep your teeth cleaner, whiter, and stronger.
But, many Australians delay attending the dentist due to anxiety or fear of pain of an injection or dental procedures. Other people only see dentists when they want to know why their teeth hurt or when conditions get extremely uncomfortable.
Are you struggling with anxiety related to dental procedures? IV sedation offers a safe, efficient, relaxed, and painless way to attend your treatments. Here’s how to know if you’re a perfect candidate.
1. Dental Work Comes with a Fear of Pain
Dental procedures don’t have to be painful because dentists can use a local anesthetic to numb the area. However, the case is different for patients with extremely sensitive teeth or gums. To them, even a simple check of the teeth may feel too painful.
If you fall into this category, you make a perfect candidate for sedation dentistry. IV sedation causes a feeling of relaxation to help you have a comfortable experience, especially when you are being numbed up..
2. Dentist Visits Make You Very Anxious
Some patients feel petrified and anxious even at the mention of the word “dentist”. You’re not alone if this is something you struggle with. And, it doesn’t have to make you skip your dentist’s checkups or wait until there is pain to seek treatment.
Talk to your dentist about having your treatment done under IV sedation and learn if you can benefit from the procedure. You can relax knowing under the proper care and IV sedation guidelines you can have your treatment without making you feel anxious during the process.
The right level of sedation will depend on your personal needs, the procedure you are having done and your medical history. Our specialist anesthetist administers IV sedation throughout the appointment as you require it, treating every patient based on their individual needs so they have the best experience possible. ..
3. When You Have a Long or Multiple Dental Procedures To Undergo
Anesthetics help in numbing the affected tooth to eliminate pain during treatment. However, some procedures can take extremely long to complete, making the whole process a little more uncomfortable.
For instance, it’s easy to naturally keep your mouth open during the extraction of a single tooth. But, the process can be more stressful if you have multiple fillings to be done or more than one tooth being removed or missing teeth replaced..
It may be beneficial to consider IV sedation if your dental treatment will take a few hours to complete.
Also, IV sedation is well suited for patients with a problem staying in one position or keeping their mouth open for an extended time. It helps you maintain a relaxed state and be less aware of treatment going on, so you can be more comfortable during treatment.
Still, it takes the care of a qualified professional to ensure your safety during the entire treatment process. In your relaxed state, they will monitor your vitals, including heart rate, breathing and blood pressure, to ascertain the treatment’s success and safety.
4. You Don’t Want A General Anesthetic
Most patients relate sedation with getting knocked out. A general anesthetic (GA) is where you are completely asleep/unconscious and unaware of the treatment being performed and as such it needs to be performed in a hospital setting. Unlike GA, IV sedation aims to help you stay calm and relaxed during the treatment. While you may feel groggy, IV sedation leaves you alert enough to respond to any directions from your dentist.
However, the fact that you aren’t entirely unconscious doesn’t mean you’re fit to be independent after the treatment. When preparing for IV sedation, you will be asked to arrange for somebody to drive you home after the procedure and stay with you and take care of you for at least the next 24 hours.
5. The Smells, Sounds and Other Sensations at the Dentist Office Bother You
While some people avoid dentist offices for fear of pain, some patients find the smell of the dental clinic upsetting and triggering.. Similarly, some patients struggle with a gag reflex, making their dental procedures difficult and comfortable.. IV sedation allows you to relax and reduces your gag reflex from being triggered.
Do you find the sound of the dental tools triggers anxiety or fear? Talk to your dentist about IV sedation as an option to make you feel more relaxed.IV Sedation in Dentistry: Final Thoughts
IV sedation helps you enjoy a calm and predominantly pain-free dental treatment. In addition, sedation keeps you relaxed and allows for multiple ral health problems to be treated at once, helping to secure your oral health.
The tips in this article help to offer a way to see if IV sedation may be of benefit to you. Beaches Dental Mona Vale has a team of qualified dentists to help you get the help you need less painfully, without the fear of anxiety or any other dental office-related phobias.
Together our dentists and Specialist Anaesthatist have the right skills and experience to provide a wide range of dental treatments, including implants, restorative treatments and tooth removal including wisdom teeth removal under IV sedation. Book an appointment with one of our qualified dentists today.
